NY State: Paladino's 15 Minutes Are Over; Gillibrand Voters Take Their Foot Off the Brake; Attorney General Contest is Fiercely Fought with Slight Edge to Democrat:
Democrats in New York State soar to victory in 3 statewide contests and lead narrowly in a 4th if votes were cast today, 10/10/10, 23 days until votes are counted, according to SurveyUSA polling conducted exclusively for WABC-TV in New York City, WHEC-TV Rochester, and WNYT-TV Albany. Andrew Cuomo distances.

In the Governor contest, Andrew Cuomo puts his boot on the neck of Carl Paladino, 57% to 34%, after a week in which Paladino made a spectacle of himself. Incumbent Democrat David Paterson, who took office after elected Democrat Elliott Spitzer resigned in disgrace, is not seeking re-election. 1 in 4 Republicans vote against Paladino. Independents in this contest split, one of the few high profile contests anywhere in 2010 where a Democrat is holding his own. Paladino is undamaged in Western NY, where he leads 3:2.

For US Senate, incumbent Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand, appointed to her position after elected Democrat Hillary Clinton joined the Obama Administration, has held her breath long enough for Democrats to come out of hiding, and today leads her Republican challenger Joe DioGuardi 54% to 35%. In a SurveyUSA poll conducted at the peak of the news frenzy over Paladino's primary win, Gillibrand's support was eerily suppressed, but that was then and this is now.

Only the Attorney General contest at this hour has drama. The seat has been vacated by Cuomo, who is running for Governor. Democrat Eric Schneiderman, backed by 2 of 3 NYC voters, is at 46%, Republican Dan Donovan, backed by a majority of suburban NYC voters and pluralities of voters Upstate and in Western NY, is at 40%. Independents break 3:2 Republican. Moderates break 3:2 Democrat.

Filtering: SurveyUSA interviewed 1,100 New York State adults 10/05/10 through 10/07/10. Of them, 906 were registered to vote. Of the registered voters, 627 were determined by SurveyUSA to be likely to vote in the 11/02/10 general election.

[Candidate names rotated]If the election for New York Governor were today, who would you vote for? Republican Carl Paladino? Democrat Andrew Cuomo? Or another candidate?

[Candidate names rotated]New York will also elect an Attorney General. If the election for New York Attorney General were today, who would you vote for? Republican Dan Donovan? Democrat Eric Schneiderman? Or another candidate?

[Candidate names rotated]New York will also elect two United States Senators. In the first US Senate election, for a 2-year term ... If the election were today, who would you vote for? Republican Joe DioGuardi? Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand? Or another candidate?

[Candidate names rotated]In the second US Senate election, for a full 6-year term ... If the election were today, who would you vote for? Republican Jay Townsend? Democrat Chuck Schumer? Or another candidate?